York, England

After sampling the beautiful Yorkshire countryside, of course we had to see the city of York proper. The campsite host of Westerly Lake Fishing and Caravan Park, where we stayed, provided information about the park & ride just four miles away at a local shopping mall.

Driving from our pitch on a frosty morning, we then parked our motorhome for the day. After purchasing tickets at a kiosk machine, we boarded the bus to York for a day of sightseeing. 

Beautiful architecture in this walled city that is located at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Fosse. It is possible to walk on parts of the wall. However, the wall was closed the day of our visit due to frost.

Our visit occurred during the Christmas season when lots of festivities were happening around the city including dance group performances. 

A glimpse of the iconic York Minster, the huge 13th century Gothic cathedral built on top of a Roman fort. A museum is located in the basement of the cathedral where we learned about its Roman roots.

A closer look at the bell towers on the western side of the Minster. Between the two towers, there are 56 bells, the most of any English cathedral.

View of the south transept with the circular rose window, a special feature of Gothic cathedrals. 

Interior view of the wall between the west bell towers at the rear of the main sanctuary.

The vaulted ceilings made dramatic by their adornments.

Here is a beautiful example of well-preserved stained glass found throughout the cathedral. York Minster contains the largest collection of stained glass in the UK.

The tour of the Minster Cathedral was excellent. So much history and beauty, all built to the glory of God, which was openly expressed even by the tour guide. It felt like a truly worshipful place.

As the day began to wane, we said our goodbyes to Minster Cathedral. What an awe-inspiring place! 

On to explore York's narrow medieval lanes--one is called Shambles Street--and the Christmas market stalls.

These miniature Christmas trees mounted up high on the buildings surprised me. But it made sense because the narrow pedestrian streets were so crowded with shoppers. Anything displayed on the ground in front of the shops would just get knocked over. As the sun went down, we returned to the bus stop and were carried back with all the holiday shoppers to the park & ride and our motorhome. A full day!